Two men die during Ironman triathlon in Ireland: How risky is the competition?

Two men died at an Ironman competition in Ireland. They were removed from the water by emergency services but pronounced dead at the scene, police informed. The men were in their 40s and 60s. They got into difficulty in separate incidents during the swimming leg of the race in Youghal, Co. Cork, police said adding that they are investigating and the coroner has been notified.

The event had been postponed from Saturday due to flooding and bad course conditions after Storm Betty. Cork County Council said in a statement that it is "deeply saddened over the tragic loss of two race participants during the Ironman 70.3 Ireland, Cork 2023 event in Youghal today. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of the athletes at this incredibly difficult time."

What the event organisers said?

In a statement, the event organisers said, “We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of two race participants at the Ironman 70.3 Ireland, Cork 2023. During the swim portion of Sunday's race, safety personnel provided immediate medical attention upon recognising the athletes were in need of assistance.”

Read more: No more inquiry into King Charles III charity: Cash-for-honours probe explained

“We share our greatest sympathies with the families and friends of the athletes and will continue to offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time. We thank the safety personnel and first responders who worked quickly to provide the athletes with medical assistance. In respect of the families and athletes' privacy, we will have no further comment,” they added.

How risky is the Ironman competition?

The Ironman competition consisted of a 1.9 kilometre swim in Youghal Bay, a 90km bike course and a 21.1km run. The swim had already been cut from 3.8km due to poor weather conditions this year.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.